S W A K
by reflecting
Summary: The painting was breathtaking in its fierce beauty. And just like that, her fate was Sealed.With.A.Kiss. KenKao AU. Now a WIP. Rec'd on TheReadersHaveChosen. Thank you! :D
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing: **Kenshin x Kaoru

**Genre: **AU/Fantasy/Romance

**Rating:** M (sorry for the change from T, but I find it necessary for future chapters)

**Warnings:** English isn't my first language, so excuse any grammar errors and typos. Also, it's my first Rurouni Kenshin fanfic so be gentle. OOCness to be expected.

**Status: **In progress after many encouraging reviews! :D Thank you very much! I never believed it would get such a positive response from you guys.... XD (still in a state of shock)

**A/N:** _This is actually based on a dream I had. It featured me and some made-up dream characters of course, and not any of the Kenshingumi. But I thought it would fit. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy! :D_

* * *

**oOo**

**o-oOo-o**

**S.W.A.K**

**o-oOo-o**

**oOo**

Kamiya Kaoru was running out of money, and it was becoming painfully obvious as well. The students at the _Kamiya Kasshin-Ryū_ dojo had decreased continuously over the last two years since her father died and left her the sole owner and _(adjutant)_ master of his art. It had been slow, but she had been forced to realize she was far worse off than she had been willing to admit before. With only five students left, the income was painfully low and barely covered her living expenses. But with two more mouths to feed – a growing boy and a young man with a bottomless pit of a stomach – it was close to impossible if she did not redeem the situation, and fast.

That is why we find the young woman rummaging mercilessly through an old storehouse, paying no heed to the many layers of dust and piles upon piles of boxes threatening to fall over at any minute. Her clear, sapphire eyes are focused and her hands steady as she rips open yet another box, hastily eying the content before dismissing it. She had been searching for over forty minutes, but showed no signs of being deterred. When finally she stumbled upon something satisfactory, she gave a shout of victory before swiftly escaping the gloom and dirt of the storage room, a huge box in tow.

Outside, a boy and young man eyed her warily from their position on the porch; the latter's lips twitching in amusement. Ignoring their questioning stares, she dropped the box unceremoniously on the ground and pushed her raven hair out of her flushed face before immediately kneeling down. Rummaging through its content, she paid no heed to the obvious abuse she bestowed on the old box, mumbling incoherent words under her breath.

"Hey, missie, what are you---," the young man began, having removed the fishbone previously occupying his mouth. Her squeal of excitement cut him off though, and he blinked in confusion when for the first time after almost an hour, she acknowledged their existence by turning towards them, sporting a huge grin.

"Look at this!" she exclaimed, holding up an old ink painting of a mountain with beautiful kanji filling up most of the blank space of sky. She didn't give either of them time to react before she continued with a quick explanation. "My grandfather was an artist and has created a lot of valuable paintings. They would no doubt fetch a good price on the market, and pay for a month's worth of food each!"

The mention of food got a reaction, if nothing else.

"Hey, Ugly!" the boy shouted. "How come you haven't told us this before?! Dammit, you've almost starved us to death by now!"

Wincing, the young man bit down on the fishbone, pitying the boy for his stupidity. Somehow, he knew this would affect him too, so he prepared himself for the inventible.

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru growled, shooting up to a standing position before stalking over to the boy with a vicious expression grazing her otherwise calm face. Well, less furious, at least. "Have_** I**_ been starving you?! Is it _my_ fault I have two _freeloaders_ doing nothing but eat _my_ food, _live_ on _my_ money and sleep in _my _house? **NO!** _YOU – _and I mean you, Sanosuke, as well! – are the ones who empties _my _supply of food, _YOU_ are the ones who do _not_ contribute to the income and _YOU_, _**YOU**_ are the ones who willingly let your own pouch remain _empty_ so you can continue to leech off of _**mine!**__"_

Pausing from her long rant, Kaoru panted and glared from one guilty face to another, growling when they tried to speak. With a deep, calming breath, she continued in slightly gentler tones. "So, I suggest both of you start looking through the storage house and find the other two boxes hidden in there somewhere, so that I can go through all the paintings and decide which ones to sell first. Go on, get to work!"

She didn't need to encourage them, as they practically ran into the dusty and dimly lit storehouse and she smiled, anger slowly running off. They were two leeching bastards, but she secretly didn't mind. She'd rather live poor and starving with them, than eat herself full each day – alone. Her darkest nightmare was not of the day her father's died, she guiltily admitted, but rather finding herself trapped in a suffocating loneliness where not even the memory of her loved ones could reach her. Pushing those depressing thoughts aside, she went about sorting through the box filled with old paintings and the occasional scroll containing a short story. Her work continued, as her two freeloaders finally emerged with their boxes, and she quickly ordered them to take the small piles of paintings and scrolls she had neatly repacked in her box and return it to the storehouse. She had already picked out three paintings to sell off, which would leave them with enough money to last at least a month or two. Until the money ran out again, they would leave the box of paintings in the storeroom.

"Now," she said to herself, "let's see what the other boxes have to offer."

oOo

Kaoru wasn't sure where she had seen this particular painting before. However, she most certainly knew it could not have been done by her grandfather. First of all, the old man had preferred tranquil landscapes and the occasional portrait. Secondly, he'd strictly stuck to black and white, with grey shadings or, sometimes, washed-out coloring.

This was far from tranquil, and most definitely not a landscape; not to mention the _colors_.

Depicted on the delicate paper was the form of a huge, crimson dragon. His body was uncurling, as if he was lunging forward in a desperate attempt to attack the viewer, and his fangs was bared in a vicious growl. He had his claws out, ready to tear the paper-prison to shreds, but this was only dimly noted by the young woman. Although the dragon radiated hot-blooded _rage_, it was not what amazed her. Tracing a finger over the rough surface, she stared. The strokes of the brush had been careful, mindful of every detail, and the creature's colors were stark against the bleak color of its canvas. It seemed almost as if the scales of the dragon shone in the light of day; so masterfully had the artist captured the shades and highlights. But the eyes, they took her breath away. Molten gold in color, they looked eerily alive as they met her stare, glittering with emotion.

After a few minutes, she came to the conclusion it had to be melted gold mixed with the colors used to depict the dragon's furious, unforgiving glare, because there was no way a mere painting could express the kind of emotion she read in those eyes. Shaking her head, she carefully put the painting down and sighed.

The dragon was one of the few paintings she had decided not to sell. Not only because it took her breath away with its obvious value and beauty, but something in the back of her mind tried to remind her where she had encountered it before. There was no signature to tell who had produced such a masterpiece, but she hadn't been looking for one. Somehow, she had known it wouldn't be there. Somehow, she knew who the artist was. If only she could remember.

oOo

She had decided to hang it on the wall beside her made-up vanity, which consisted of a low table with a mirror placed on it. There, she could stare as much as she wanted as she brushed and braided her hair before going to bed. It was hard to tear her gaze from it, the golden eyes drawing her own sapphires to it, but she shook off the compelling feeling to _never_ look away and giggled at her silliness. It was just a painting, and she reasoned that if she saw it every day, it might cease to transfix her so. Thus she had promptly nailed it on the wall of her bedroom without further ado.

But now that the dragon finally graced her humble wall, she couldn't help but think it made the rest of the room look terribly bland, and unpleasantly bleak. She assumed it was the stark contrast of the dragon's beautiful coloring and the room's earthy tones of whites, browns and beiges, and the dragon itself was so wild and untamed compared to the neat, tidy and squared little room. It made her frown in annoyance as she tugged at the many tangles her kendo lessons had caused her hair today. Glaring, she let her eyes roam the dragon's uncoiling body once more before meeting his gaze again.

"I'm holding you fully responsible for my sudden dislike of my own room, Dragon," she spoke haughty, pointing her hairbrush accusingly before sighing and looking away. Regarding her reflection, her frown lessened. "You know, we finally have some money left over to shop something other than food. I should buy myself a new kimono, and ribbon, for my good work. Yeah, definitely should. I deserve it." Looking back to the dragon, she grinned. "I might even buy something to keep you company. This room really needs some color, don't you think?"

Sighing, she put her brush down and started braiding her hair with the swift motions of habit. "First time in ages I've held a conversation without yelling, and it's been with a _painting._ I should pay Tae a visit, haven't been to the Akabeko in a while. Best restaurant in town, just so you know. Anyway, I can only spend so much time in the boys' presence before going nutty. Apparently."

With one last glance at the dragon, she put out the light with a swift blow and crawled to her futon. Snuggling under the covers, she yawned before mumbling a quiet "good night".

She missed the way golden eyes shimmered even in the dark of night.

oOo

Days passed in the familiar way of routine, and Kaoru found herself immensely grateful of her grandfather and his paintings. Food was no longer an issue, only the cooking remained as dire as it had been before. None of the dojo's occupants could cook, and she was the worse out of the three, although she would never admit it out loud. She had briefly hoped to find a wandering, unemployed-but-looking cook hiding in the storehouse along with the paintings, though knew she shouldn't count her blessings. But it remained a rather amusing thought, so she allowed herself to entertain the idea for a couple of minutes before dismissing it. It had occurred early in the morning, when she had only just woken and risen out of bed, so she blamed her grogginess for the whole ordeal. Asking the dragon if he could fix her breakfast as a repayment for his release from the storehouse was also blamed on her sleep deprived brain, but it didn't stop her from wondering where the hell she got everything from.

She had, however, remembered where she had seen the painting before.

Actually, she had never seen it, but imagined it. Long ago, when she was just a young child, her father had told her about the priceless piece of art and done his best to describe its terrifying beauty. He said it was given to her grandfather when the old man was in his youth, travelling Japan as an artist. The painter was said to have been a sorcerer, working with ink and colors as magic and doing the most beautiful and dangerous spells. She had been horrified then, to learn that ledged told of the sorcerer capturing a dragon and sealing it with his magic only to die from the effort it took to bewitch such a creature. Her father said the crimson dragon had been a feared beast, _Battousai,_ slaying hundreds and thousands of people, and the sorcerer had knowingly risked his life to stop it. But he'd had the heart of an artist, and the blinding beauty of the monster had prevented him from killing it. Instead, it was forever sealed on the blank canvas of ageless paper.

Kaoru had, as a child, feared the power of such a dragon. Was it really sealed, forever? What if it was released? Her father had been there to soothe her fears, and she had soon forgotten the tale he had shared that one night.

When she had remembered it after all those years, staring at the dragon in the flickering light of candles, the fear had returned for the span of a couple of silent, tense moments. Her father was not there to reassure her of it being a mere myth, but she was not a child anymore. She had met the permanently furious glare of the magical beast and frowned.

"You better behave, or I'll lock you in the storehouse again, troublesome Dragon."

oOo

It was time to sell another painting, but not because of need for food. By some stroke of divine blessing, it seemed as if her two freeloaders had briefly allowed their guilt to set them to work and finally help her pay for their dinner. She had a sneaky suspicion they didn't like selling her grandfather's paintings, despite her assuring them it was perfectly alright, but she stopped complaining when Sano returned home with a small pouch of coins. When he'd grumpily handed it over to her stunned form, she'd been overwhelmed by the feeling of fondness she held for her boys and had disregarded the money to engulf the tall young man in a bone-crushing hug. Since Yahiko had followed him behind, she had swiftly given him the same treatment in her moment of emotional weakness. Their blushing sent her giggling and she'd thanked them, sincerely. They probably had no idea why her voice had been laced with emotion, but she didn't care. She was still smiling when she retired to her room that evening, stomach full after treating both of them to dinner at the Akabeko.

Having changed to her sleeping yukata, she seated herself before her mirror and hummed, picking up her brush and starting to work on the tangles absently. She glanced up at the dragon and grinned. "Not even your sour mood could make me any less happy mister, so you might as well stop trying. Well, I guess that's impossible, being a painting and all."

She giggled, ignoring the way golden eyes seemed to glimmer, and continued brushing in silence for a while, pausing when she remembered something.

"I need to sell another painting," she said, smiling. "Did you know Yahiko's 10th birthday is coming up? To think it's already August. Times passes so quickly, doesn't it? Well, you would know, being timeless. Or ageless. Whatever. Hm, you know, at first I wasn't sure what to get him. But he's growing really fast, and those hakama and gi of his are starting to smell even after I've washed them. Anyway, I saw a set that would suit him a few days ago. Green gi and brown hakama, what do you think? No? Too bland for your taste, Majesty? Well, not everyone looks good in gold and ruby red."

After three weeks, she had stopped wondering why she spoke to a painting – _something about it just called to her_ – so when she teased it and flung her hair over her shoulder in a haughty gesture, she didn't think much of it. Only that his eyes truly were fascinating, and that they _had_ to be painted in gold. She had disregarded the possibility of it being mixed in colors, because nothing but pure, _solid gold _could shine like his eyes. Really, she should just tear them out and sell them. She told him as much, but cringed at the idea.

"I wouldn't want to do that to you, Dragon," she said, titling her head a bit as she had begun braiding her hair. "I love your eyes. They're the only things that aren't frozen in an eternal grimace of fury. Sometimes, I would like to imagine they're twinkling." She paused to frown, sending him an accusing glare. "I have a feeling you're laughing at _my_ expense though. Bad Dragon! I might never get around to buying you something now!"

With an amused huff, she looked away and slung her braid over her shoulder before turning around to glance around the room.

"I told you I would get you some company, didn't I?" she mused aloud. "I ended up buying those ribbons and that blue kimono instead, _and_ the red one. I blame you for the latter, _honestly._ I've never liked red until now. Personally, I don't think I look good in it. But it's always fun to try new things, isn't it?"

Crawling to her futon, she flopped down unceremoniously and groaned into her pillow. "Maybe I should just put up some more paintings on the walls," she muttered, her voice muffled and quiet when she failed to think of anything else. Plants just withered and died under her care, but a few soft cushions and a little table didn't seem so bad in the far off corner of the room. A bit expensive for her taste though, despite the paintings.

Her dragon would have to settle with the plain sight of her room, but hopefully, a few more paintings adoring the empty walls would make him seem less…_lonely._

She never did like loneliness.

oOo

Yahiko's birthday had been a success. She could tell he was moved by her gift, and even more so by the little party she had organized at Akabeko after dinner. Many friends had come; several students from the dojo and even some of the ex-students had been welcome. She wasn't one to hold a grudge; she could understand why they didn't want to be taught by a woman, no matter how much they respected her talents.

However, no matter how hard she'd tried, the party had quickly become unsuitable for a ten year old. She blamed Sano, since he was the one who started the drinking, but she'd been powerless to stop it. Allowing herself a few drinks in a lame attempt to soothe her annoyance, she soon came to the conclusion that Yahiko had to be removed from the bad influence of Sanosuke and his friends. The boy hadn't been happy to leave, loudly declaring himself a man, but in the end, she won as always. He had a long way to go to defeat her, or even outrun her. Especially with liquor running through her system, supplying her with bubbling energy. It would only last for a few hours though, and it'd leave her head fuzzy and her limbs heavy. Long before that, she and Yahiko arrived home and she sent him directly off to bed. He had to get up early for his training, and she would soon be very sleepy and unable to entertain him for very long.

Entering her bedroom, she promptly stumbled inside and sat ungracefully in front of her beloved painting. With a silly grin, she reached up and traced the elegant strokes of brushes with the tips of her fingers; stopping to rub his tummy and giggling madly at the thought of him purring. He would probably bite her hand off, but she liked the idea of stroking his scales like she would an adorable pet.

"I've never been able to hold my liquor, Dragon," she cooed, moving a finger up to his snot and caressing the scales up between his eyes and down between his flaring nostrils. She could almost imagine the heat of fire and smiled, staring into his mesmerizing eyes. "Today was good. Yahiko was really happy; I think he liked my present. He would've liked to stay at the party longer though, but Sano started a drinking contest again. I don't want Yahiko in that environment. He's seen too much already, you know? I guess I'm just being a mother hen, huh?"

She paused only to fall backwards, splaying herself out on the floor and staring up at the ceiling with a thoughtful frown. "I wish you could've been there. I've told you many times, but I promise you'd love Tae's beef hot pot! It's delicious, mm… Do dragons eat beef hot pot, Dragon? Well, you would. I'd force-feed you. It's meat, so why not?"

Sitting up again, she stared up at the painting, titling her head. "My father told me about you once. You were trapped by a sorcerer, weren't you? I was told he died. He couldn't kill you, because you were too beautiful. So he merely sealed you. But he died. I wonder if he did so in vain? Father also said you killed many, many people Dragon. I've only heard of dragons that do, so perhaps that's in their nature. I wouldn't know, but Dragon, your eyes are beautiful. Have I told you that? Of course I have. I'm rambling now, stupid saké."

Sighing, she inched a bit closer, brining her lowered gaze up to his eyes. She had let her gaze flicker from side to side throughout her drunken ramblings, not focusing. Wrinkling her nose, she tried to focus this time. "I've talked a lot to you, Dragon. It's almost as if you're alive now. It's crazy, but it feels like you _hear_ me. It's a strange but wonderful kind of feeling. You're like a diary, only, no one but you will remember my words. Not even I will remember. I wonder if you'll remain on my wall, Dragon? You'll get to see me grown old and wrinkly and finally die, isn't that a ball? I'll have to get myself a husband and a child, to whom I can entrust you once I'm gone. You don't deserve to be hidden in some dark, dusty corner of a storehouse. You're far too beautiful. I'll tell my child to keep you up on a wall, and maybe, my child will be better off than me. Maybe you'll be less lonely on my child's wall. Who knows?"

Leaning in, she let her breath ghost over the uneven surface of the canvas. She had never studied the painting this close, so she took her time. Moving up, slowly, she admired his scales and finally stopped by his eyes. Blinking, she stared. Flecks of violet were imbedded in the gold, violet she hadn't noticed until now. She was confused, because she could not understand how she could've missed it in the first place. The violet wasn't too small to spot after all. Shrugging, she assumed she had been too focused on the gold.

"I wonder what you'd look like with only violet in your eyes? Frowning like that, it'd look silly. I'd imagine you'd smile with violet eyes, Dragon. If dragons _can_ smile, that is," she mumbled, leaning forward and placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose. Her lips tingled at the contact and she shivered, a wave of exhaustion crashing over her and she pulled back as quickly as she could, confused and unsettled by the strange currents of energy draining from her body. She shook her head, finding herself fighting to stay awake. It was a losing battle, and as she slowly sank to the floor, eyes fluttering close, she swore to never have so much to drink again.

oOo

"SANOSUKE!! YAHIKO!! WHERE THE _HELL_ IS MY DRAGON PAINTING?!" Kaoru howled once her brain finally processed what it was she was seeing. An empty wall. No painting. Gone.

Scrambling out of her room, still in her yukata, she ran down the hall and entered the kitchen with a roar. She didn't come unarmed, having picked up her bokken on the way for some well-deserved beatings. The two villains choked on their meal, staring at her with wide eyes and wondering what had gone wrong this early in the day. Once they processed what she'd asked, in a less polite way, the groaned.

The _painting_ was obviously _gone. _And Kaoru was _obsessed_ with that thing. Sano personally thought that perhaps she had some personal attachment to it, family history and what-not, but Yahiko merely believed she had finally showed her true colors, as a nutcase.

"Missie, calm down!" Sano urged once he noticed she had started to advance on them with her bokken so tightly grasped in her hands that her knuckles were turning white. Never a good sign. "I swear I have not touched your painting! I haven't even looked at it since you found it in the shed!"

This seemed to calm her down somewhat, as she lowered her weapon a few inches. She was still growling though, and Yahiko wasn't of any help. The little brat.

"Yeah! I haven't done anything either, Ugly! Why the hell would I want to go into your room anyway huh?! And it's your own damn fault if you didn't even notice someone sneaking in and stealing it right under your nose!"

A resounding _THUD_ was heard, followed by several others, as Kaoru released her pent up anger. She hadn't just woken up on the wrong side of the futon, because she hadn't even been on the futon in the first place. Waking up with a monstrous headache, grainy eyes and heavy limbs had done nothing to improve her temper. Chasing a brat throughout her dojo and delivering bruising blows on whatever body part she could reach helped with the venting, but once she finally decided he'd had enough, she was exhausted once again. It didn't feel like she'd slept at all, and the weakness of her muscles worried her; it was as if she had a fever, yet she didn't feel warm or dizzy. Merely sickly tired.

Pushing thoughts of sleep out of her mind, Kaoru kneeled down determinedly before her two freeloaders, because she had something to do before giving in to the sweet temptation of sleep.

"Okay boys, someone has stolen my painting. It was a sort of family heirloom and held some precious memories of my father and grandfather," she began, ignoring the winces of her boys but giving a few moments pause for a dramatic effect. She already knew they worked better with the motivator of guilt, and she would not let that go to waste. "I've been selling my grandfathers paintings to pay for your food and clothes, but this one? I had never, ever had any intention of selling it. Now, I really, really, _really_ want it back, so this is what we're going to do. You're going to tell me about anything, anything at all, that was even the slightest bit suspicious yesterday. Anything. And, did you hear something or someone in the dojo? Did you sense a strange ki? Well?"

She waited patiently for their answers, knowing they probably had to think for a bit before their brains soaked up all the questions and started connecting them with whatever information they had. It proved to be a moot point, when none of them had encountered anything out of the ordinary. Yahiko had fallen asleep before her and had little talents in sensing ki, while Sanosuke had been out most night drinking and only returned this morning to have breakfast.

However, she would not yet admit to defeat. She wanted her dragon _back_ damnit (she still remembered the violet flecks hidden in his golden irises and badly wanted to examine them sober). So she told them to look around in town, and got Sanosuke to promise to check out his many underground contacts in case the painting turned up on the black market. She would've followed them when they left for their search, but she was almost falling asleep where she stood by the gate seeing them off so she opted to stay.

Sighing, she turned and walked back to the dojo, slowly making her way to her bedroom in a light daze. Either she had tired herself out more than she remembered yesterday, or this was some mutated version of a hangover. She hoped it was the latter, because hangovers she could deal with. Memory gaps, however, were very unnerving.

She fell asleep before her head hit her pillow.

oOo

Faintly remembering someone calling for her through the door and telling her something had come up, and they wouldn't be home tonight, kept Kaoru from panicking as she searched the empty house for her boys. Settling down in her kitchen with a hot cup of tea, she breathed in the motions of meditation as she focused on the fuzzy memory telling her the whereabouts of her missing freeloaders.

Helping out at the Akabeko, because of some brawl resulting in a mess too much for Tae to handle…meeting some friends for sake (and gambling, she added wryly) to try and pry some information from them…

It would seem she was alone tonight.

Sighing, Kaoru tried to enjoy the unusual silence as she finished her tea. It wasn't uncommon for Sanosuke to spend the whole night out, even the following day, and neither was Yahiko's occasional stay at the Akabeko. They did, however, try to avoid being gone at the same time. She didn't know if she should hug them for the consideration, or beat them over the head with her bokken for the coddling she really didn't need. She didn't want them to adjust their life to hers just because she suffered from a slight paranoia of being left alone. Really. She knew they would always come back, right?

She slammed her cup on the table and growled, growing irritated by her already quickening heartbeat and pathetic thoughts. She hadn't had any dinner, but still felt too tired to do anything about it despite spending most of the day in a heavy slumber.

"If this continues I'll go to Dr. Gensai," she mumbled, having put the cup away to wash later. Rubbing her eyes, she steered out of the kitchen to return to her bedroom. She grimaced; knowing the strange pang of emptiness and wrongness would hit as soon as she stepped through the sliding door and gazed on the wall which previously displayed her beautiful dragon. She hadn't known it was possible to grow so attached to a painting, but now, she understood all those crazy collectors that paid insane amounts of money in order to possess a piece.

But somehow, she didn't think they loved the paintings for the same reason she adored her dragon. Who in their right mind would _converse_ with a _painting?_ She, apparently.

Worrying her lip with pearly teeth, she paused before determinately sliding the door open. She would just go straight to her futon, and not spare the wall a single—

"I advise you to not scream," a low, smooth and distinctly male voice breathed in her ear. The hand covering her mouth had appeared from nowhere, along with the body attached to it. Her heart skipped a beat, maybe two, and she could do nothing but stare in pure shock at the wall on the other side of the room. The mystery man's position didn't allow her to move her head unless she wanted to bump into his, which she at the moment, didn't even want to acknowledge. She was, however, forced to when his nose found her neck and nuzzled it; breathing in deeply as if savoring her scent. Shock gave way to fury when she finally admitted that yes, an unknown man had snuck into her bedroom, and yes, he was currently invading her personal space in a very uncomfortable manner. She ignored the lulling scent of ginger and male, along with the unnatural warmth radiating from his lean frame. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and did the first thing she could to free herself.

She bit his hand, _hard_, even as her knee came up to deliver a good one between his legs.

Her efforts proved to be futile when he didn't even flinch, and caught her knee before her foot was even an inch over ground. The warning growl emitting from deep within his chest had her shivering, and she gulped in undeniable fear, slowly removing her teeth from his flesh and hoping he would not be as strong as he was fast. Maybe she would be able to wrestle him to the floor, and hit him so hard in the head that he passed out? Any further planning of his downfall was interrupted when the man suddenly stepped back, jerking her with him and closing the door with a snap. How he managed that when one hand was occupied with her mouth, and the other imprisoning her wrists, she didn't stop to think about.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?!" she demanded as soon as he had released her mouth, glaring hotly as she met his…gold…eyes…

Blinking, she openly stared. She allowed herself to take in the man's appearances, silently telling herself it would be good to have a description for the police, and swallowed nervously. His eyes were the same molten gold as her dragon, and his long, wild hair the same ruby red. His skin was pale, almost white, and his built was small (being not much taller than she), lean and possessing an unnerving strength that told her she would have little hopes in knocking him out. He was beautifully handsome, yet frightfully dangerous; everything her dragon had been. Shaking her head, she frowned. Her imagination was playing tricks on her, _and it was not funny_, but his smug smirk told her that at least to some, it was.

"I am many things," he said with a mysterious twinkle in his golden eyes, replying to her previous question that she had managed to forget in light of his startlingly attractive appearance. "But I want even less."

His cryptic answer made her head hurt, and she scowled, even when she knew she should probably fear him instead of working up a good deal of anger and _impatience_ towards him.

"Listen here, you horrible, horrible man," she hissed, pulling against his grip of her hands in an attempt to free herself. "If it's money you want just take it and go, before I decide to beat you into a bloody pulp!"

Not the right thing to say she realized, as she found herself pinned to the floor before she could blink. Staring up into his mesmerizing (annoyed, by the look of it) eyes she held her breath, counting the quick, loud beats of her heart in order to distract herself from the dizzying thoughts pressing forward in the back of her head. She _did not_ want to kiss those lips, which she tried to persuade herself were cold and unpleasant, but failing when his body's heat almost made her sweat underneath him.

"My dear Kaoru," he mumbled, eyeing her from her face to what was visible of her cleavage in her thin yukata, blatantly enjoying the sight of her chest heaving up and down to her panicked breathing. She growled in warning, feeling like a cornered animal beneath his smoldering gaze and secure grip, causing him to chuckle. She considered trying to knee him in the groin again, but her mind drew a blank when he leaned in to nuzzle her jaw and nibble on the delicate skin under her ear. Squeaking in dismay, a thought declaring the insanity of what was happening briefly shifted through her head. But before she could grasp on to it, he started speaking again, with a voice too smooth and pleasant to be completely fair in this situation. It made her think of seduction, rather than conviction, which was what she supposed he was trying to deliver, being her current captor and all.

"Kaoru," he began, lips moving against her jaw and causing her to whimper in protest. Her voice just didn't want to work, and she bit her lip in frustration at the pathetic sight she made. She tried to convince herself she was preserving energy for when an opportunity to escape presented itself rather than just being rendered powerless by his mere presence. "Do you want to know who I am, and what I want? Truly?" He paused to slip a hand up to cup her cheek, thumb caressing her lips gently. She swallowed, her stomach flipping at his touch, and nodded. Maybe if she entertained his monologue, she'd have time to _think_ and find a way out of this. She held her breath, only releasing it when his velvety voice caressed her ears once again. "Then, let me tell you."

"I am the essence of every careful brush of color on that parchment serving as my prison. I am the image etched in your mind after hours upon hours of staring, admiring. I am what you talked to life with a flow of words each day. I am what you tempted with the sound of your voice; I am what you brought forth with your touch. But, Kaoru, it was your kiss that released me. It was your kiss…that sealed your fate."

Her gasp was lost in the burning heat of his kiss, silencing her protests and denials. _He can't be my dragon; he's human!_

_Right?_

Any further attempt at rational thinking was lost, and she didn't even deny the moan slipping through her lips as they parted wide for him. Questioning sanity could wait.

oOo

o-oOo-o

oOo

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**A/N:** _Please review! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_GROAN. HEADDESK. My weeks of exams and deadlines are slowly coming to and end. Hopefully, I'll soon be able to have more time for writing on more than one or two of my stories. I really need to update many of them haha XD_

_ANYWAY. I shall bow my head low and give you all a humble thank you for all the sweet, sweet reviews and uplifting compliments about my story! Also, a lot of thanks to you who have favorites or put it on an alert, even if you didn't review, it shows you like it somewhat at least! :D And that makes me a happy author :)_

_But due to the overwhelming amount of reviews and favorites and alerts and what-not, I am more than nervous about psoting another chapter. I am very, very afraid to let any of you down; I am hard pressed to deliver something that would "live up" to the previous chapter and well...it's pretty nerve-wrecking haha XD_

_That's the reason why I'm currently rambling in an **A/N** very few people will read. Gah._

_Moving on....I really hope you'll like this chapter and continue to review! :D_

_(Please excuse any typos and grammar errors, I have yet to summon any kind of energy to re-read my own work. I'm just lazy like that. Opps.)_

* * *

**oOo**

**o-oOo-o**

**S.W.A.K**

**o-oOo-o**

**oOo**

Although she didn't quite believe the given explanation to the situation (her dragon was _not_ a gorgeous human with red hair and golden eyes; _the colors were mere coincidences_), she had eagerly agreed that there had to be _some _kind of magic at work. The daze she had been in as the bastard of a man kissed her senseless could not be natural, she reasoned, because what sane, self-respecting woman would let a burglar – with severe mental issues (he thinks he's a _dragon_) – _ravish _her without complaint?

When her muddled mind had some to this conclusion, her body acted on impulse and somehow caught the man off guard (she suspected it had something to do with how much _he_ was enjoying the indecent groping). Bringing her knee up as she'd previously done, she aimed for his groin even as she bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood and elbowed the junction of his shoulder and neck. His grunt of either pain or impatience followed by the loosening of his grip had been all she needed to get away from his proximity, but as soon as she escaped, she knew he had let her go on purpose. There was no way a man – who could move from behind her to the nearest exit several feet away within the blink of an eye – would let himself be outdone so easily.

Thus, she found herself huddling against the wall, slowly inching towards the shoji doors leading outside in hopes of at least putting _more_ distance between herself and the strange man, as well as stalling as much time as possible. Sano _might_ have forgotten something and Yahiko _might_ decide he wasn't needed at the Akabeko….and the sky will start falling down. Right. But, she _would not_ let herself give up. Meeting amused, golden eyes she bristled; cheeks heating once she caught sight of his vicious tongue swiping his lips in a slow motion of appreciation. She briefly wondered what kind of dish she resembled in look and taste, but quickly dismissed such silly thoughts – it was impossible for him to devour her, despite what his kisses had illustrated.

Afraid to look away and be caught unawares by sudden movement, Kaoru eyed the red-head warily as she made her way towards freedom. She was so close now; she could almost _feel _the wind from outside sneaking through the thin walls.

Then, he moved.

Pushed roughly against the wall, she gasped more in surprise than pain, and stared wide-eyed at the increasingly frightening man who continued to show such inhuman speed. It was unsettling and further proved there was some kind of supernatural powers at work. He smirked beneath her gaze, and she hissed in anger as she started to struggle against his grip. "Let me go!" she shouted, pulling against his restraint while trying to suppress the growing panic chilling her stomach. She absently wondered how she could've ever thought her walls were dull; she would give anything to sink through them and escape this – whatever this was. It certainly didn't seem like robbery, and she didn't like to think of the alternatives that his previous activities had hinted at.

"Kaoru," the man called, voice hard but not harsh, causing her to still her futile attempts at gaining freedom. Grinning in approval, the red-head loosened his grip slightly and moved away a few inches, much to her relief. She took a deep breath, surprised at how easily her heart slowed from such an intense race. "That's a good girl. Now, I'd like to make something clear and I need you to listen carefully. Understood?"

His voice broke no argument, so she nodded, at a loss of what else to do. Screaming hadn't worked, neither had fighting or running. She needed time to think of another way to escape, so she decided to humor him, despite her previous experience telling her this was a bad idea. He seemed to have a habit of saying the craziest things, leaving her in an even more confused state of mind than before.

"You need to realize that I know you, Kamiya Kaoru," he mumbled against her skin, having drawn closer to nuzzle her neck. She stiffened at the show of affection – _or, rather, violation!_ Her breath hitched. "I know your beliefs of a sword meant for protecting and not killing runs as deep as the very blood in your veins, I know your favorite kimono is the one you never wear, because it was your mother's." She gaped, glancing down at the mass of red hair obscuring his face and wide smirk. "I know your hair is the only thing you consider…_feminine_ about you, although I am eager to disagree." The seemingly constant blush on her face grew hotter, darker, as he pressed himself closer to her person and slowly lifted his head to rest his mouth inches from her ear. "I know your favorite anything, from color to food to season to sound and smell. I know your temper is easily riled, I know your intentions are always good, I know your heart is pure…" She swallowed, shivering against the hot, damp breath that seemed to hold warmth beyond normal; just as his body. Crazy, she was going crazy, wasn't she? There was just no way…yet, he knew all these things…but…no. He couldn't be?

"Anyone could know those things, surely. I yell at Yahiko and Sano all the time," she whispered, voice weak and her eyes wide. Her fear dripped thickly from her words, tainting the atmosphere with the denial filling her very core. He chuckled against her ear, his chest moving deliciously against hers. It made her sick; the weakness, the helplessness he made her feel.

"Oh, Kaoru," he sighed, nudging her cheek with his nose and placing a feather-like kiss on her jaw. "You cannot escape me. You surround yourself with people, you believe the best of them and give your trust easily, because everyone deserves a second chance, isn't that what you said? But I know, despite the friends you have gained, the love you have created, your fear is just as strong as it was years ago, is it not? Somehow, someway, someone will leave you. Sometime, you will be left alone. Loneliness, your greatest fear, isn't it, Kaoru?"

She hated how his words rang true in her mind, her heart. She hated how he knew things no one but her Dragon should know. She hated how easily it would be to believe him, how easily it would be to _want _to. Then his _hot_ breath blew across her lips and her thoughts abruptly stopped to simply focus on his glowing, golden eyes _that were so much like his it had to be the same_.

"But I will make sure you forget such fears, little one. I will never leave your side, because I protect what is mine, Kamiya Kaoru."

And she absolutely _hated_ the fact that she knew she had already lost the moment she looked on an empty wall and missed its occupant with an intensity of having lost a living, breathing friend to the vicious hands of death. It didn't help that his presence was so soothing that she forgot to act on the blinding rage his word should've teased to surface, and she simply _accepted._

oOo

Kaoru sat by the dinner table in somewhat of a daze, trying to make sense of her situation. Her wary, blue eyes followed the smooth, easy movements of the red-headed maniac with a slight pang of jealousy (_how could anyone be blessed with such grace?_). The discovery that he easily found his way around her kitchen without her help had finally settled in, but it was just one of the many things waiting in line.

A few hours had passed since he had cornered her in her bedroom, and declared himself loopy (she was stubborn in the way that she refused to admit she already had accepted the fact he was, with little doubt, her lost Dragon). They had passed with an awkwardness she was utterly new to, because it wasn't every day she was subjected to being observed in silence and then followed around as she'd tried to find things to keep her busy. Firing questions which answers would be too cryptic to be considered enlightenments, she soon gave up and just continued cleaning her room messy after her attempted escapes.

She'd had to threaten him with her bokken until he at least turned around to let her change, with an annoying grin on his face that set her teeth on edge and had been followed by nervous pacing and a few outbursts of her violent temper. Long, elegant fingers had buried themselves in her thick hair and delivered a soothing massage whenever she got close enough to jam her finger in his chest, hissing curses in his face, and she had promptly abandoned to visualize her contempt concerning her situation since it only seemed to amuse him. She had quickly learned that amusement on his part didn't equal good, as the opposite equaled bad (whatever temper he had shown so far told her of something deeper that she would be wise to not bring to the surface).

Now, as dinner time had arrived, he had dragged her off into the kitchen, shoved her down kneeling on the floor and started cooking – _was that miso soup with actual spices she smelled? _– which in itself was utterly absurd. She honestly did not know how to react, but she seemed to be the only one concerned about her lack of response to the strange events taking place. Clearing her throat, she tried as she had many times during the awkward silence that had followed them around all day to start a conversation. Preferably without breaking out into another fit of hysterical anger that only seemed to serve as a shield against the confused mix of feelings simmering underneath her skin.

"Um, hey, you," she called, wringing her hands in her lap nervously. He looked over his shoulder, one dark brow raised in question. Whatever she had planned to say was momentarily forgotten as she took in the purple and golden swirl of his eyes. Instead, she found herself unable to resist satisfying her curiosity. "What's up with your eyes?"

Turning to face her completely, she watched with a frown as the purple slowly left his eyes completely, seemingly replaced by a lopsided smirk and gold, gold, _gold_.

"I think, Kaoru, that you'll have enough time to figure it out on your own. Now, I believe the food is ready; miso soup with fried tofu, your favorite."

She was tempted to say miso soup wasn't her favorite, although with fried tofu it was indeed very appealing. The first taste, however, left her to wonder what _real_ miso soup with fried tofu tasted like. There was no way it was this delicious, right?

oOo

It was time for bed and she was ready to _strangle _something – anything. Poised with her bokken on one side of her bedroom, she growled.

"You are NOT sleeping here, damnit!" she shouted for what felt like the hundredth time. Unfazed, the red-head continued to move her futon over to one side of the room before comfortably settling down beside it. Leaning his back against the wall, which had once held his painting, he rested his elbow on her improvised vanity beside him and shot her an amused glance.

"Until your friends return, I will sleep here without restrictions," he stated calmly. "When they come back, I shall occupy a more…_discreet _location, until you welcome me willingly."

She didn't know what was the most disturbing – that she was no longer fighting the fact that he was staying in her home or that his tone made it clear he thought she _would_ welcome him to sleep in her room willingly, and soon.

"If that's the case I won't sleep until they're back, and once they return, we'll kick your ass to the other side of Japan!" she growled, a mental imagine of her and Yahiko's swinging bokkens combined with Sano's powerful punch making true to that statement. His snort coupled with his raised brows only served to strengthen her resolve and she'd be damned if she let him win this fight!

"Would you really turn your back on a helpless, wandering rurouni seeking shelter from the harsh winds and chilly bite of night?" he asked, voice and expression suddenly so sincere she would've believed him had she not known it was a lie. Besides, the twinkle in his eyes was a dead give-away. She didn't waste much thought on how she could so easily read his eyes, when supposedly, she still doubted any previous acquaintance with the man. _The man_ – she still didn't know his name, did she?

"Since I will _not_ be seeing you again after tomorrow," she began, ignoring his mockery, "I would like to know the name of the man I'll be sending the police after as soon as I'm able."

She had expected more amused, twinkling eyes, chuckles or even that annoying smirk that seemed to imply he knew something she didn't. The serious, slightly hooded look he sent her made her freeze because, really, why was this any different from any of the other times she had loudly proclaimed her wish to see him gone? Was it the mention of the police? But she'd already used that threat… Before she could continue, he interrupted her thoughts with that deep, smooth voice of his that sent shivers down her back – despite her best efforts.

"For you to know my name, you must know who I am, what I am," he said, pausing to eye her from naked feet to flushed face, golden orbs gleaming dangerously. "Accept me with mind, heart, body and soul and you shall know."

With a gulp, she decided she was just not that desperate. Red-head, man, you, _lunatic_ and whatever other words she could think of would have to do.

_For now,_ a thought whispered across her mind and she startled, staring wide eyed and the man smiling mischievously.

Wait, he was _smiling?_ Truthfully, it unnerved her more than all the smirks combined.

oOo

She woke up _knowing_ she had fallen asleep – as opposed to her usual disorientated state of mind when reaching consciousness – despite her best efforts of staying awake. It made her will to open her eyes and face the consequences of such a failure dwindle and die. But the feeling of fingers running through her hair, gently scraping her scalp with sharp nails, made her realize waking completely would save her from whatever threat _he_ proposed with her eyes closed and body heavy with sleep. But it _was_ extremely comfortable…nuzzling closer to her pillow that she was hugging close to her chest she sighed (_mm, smells like ginger…_).

Granted, she was aware of why she shouldn't be asleep but her mind was slow and it didn't help that the red-head – _who else?_ – was working wonders with his fingers. Frowning in confusion, she realized he had stopped. And wasn't her pillow awfully stiff and unnaturally warm? Blinking her eyes open, she stared at the white fabric of _hakama_ inches from her eyes before shrieking and starting to desperately scramble as far away from the man _serving as her pillow_ as she could.

"Oh, what you do to me, Kaoru," his voice whispered against her ear, making her choke on another scream. He had moved with that inhuman speed again, catching her in her flight and securing her close against his chest. Mortified, she struggled against him but froze when sharp teeth nipped her earlobe in warning.

"Let. Me. Go," she growled, stiff in his embrace. The warmth seeping through her skin made her muscles relax and it was an _effort_ to keep her back straight and head high. She was blushing furiously, because really, she had just spent God knows how many hours asleep in the lap of a potential nutcase; hugging his _leg_ and, and snuggling against his…his…_crotch! _

As soon as the thought passed through her mind she let out another shriek of mortification, renewing her struggles and absently wondering if her face was one fire.

"You're awfully energetic this morning; I don't remember you being this…_feisty_ at such an hour," he remarked with obvious amusement, making his way to stand and drawing her with him. "Mm but I do believe it's time for breakfast, little one."

Panting due to her panicked bursts of movements, she let herself be steered out of her room (_only because I'm too tired to fight and breakfast doesn't sound all that bad…),_ secured in his grip and wishing it was harsher, so she might accuse him of violent handling. Then again, she mused, she didn't really need more to add on his growing list of violation upon her mind and body and life. Really.

Later she realized that if it weren't for the fact that he was _bad news,_ she might have agreed to willingly let him stay only because of his ridiculously good cooking skills.

Taking another bite of the tastiest riceball she had ever had the pleasure of eating, she pointedly ignored the smug smirk adoring the unlikely chef's lips. His onigiris were delicious – but he didn't need to know that – and what had he done to make the tea taste so good?

oOo

If she had somehow believed that the recent events of the past two days would've made it impossible to encounter any more confusing and outright befuddling incidents then she had been sourly mistaken. Her glorified, satisfying and mentally imagined moment of ridding herself of the intruder of her home and personal space with bokkens and punches and kicks and triumphant shouts of joy never happened and she couldn't help to feel betrayed.

Sanosuke had arrived shortly after breakfast, which turned out to be a very late one, and she had been eager to show him the monster of a man who had trapped her in her own house. However, when she had turned to flash a defiant smirk his way, the space he had occupied opposite of her by the dinner table had been completely and utterly _empty._ She blinked, unable to understand why the air was devoid of his being until Sanosuke strolled into the kitchen with a loud greeting, making her realize the coward had _run away_.

"Yo missy! Missed me?" Sano called, plopping down in the space the red-head had occupied mere moments ago. She felt strangely miffed that it could be filled so easily again, and that despite Sano's obvious advantage in height and built, his presence was nowhere near as imposing and intimidating as the previous occupant's. Snapping out of her daze, she remembered she should already be telling him about her unfortunate fate since he had been gone.

"Sano you IDIOT!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" she shouted, standing up in a blur of dark hair and flushed skin. He blinked in surprise, leaning back in hopes of escaping the blunt blow of her apparent distress.

"What?! I told you I was gonna be out missy!" he defended, frowning when he noticed she was shaking. "Hey, are you alright?"

"A man broke into my house yesterday and refused to leave up until now, OF COURSE I'M NOT OKAY!!" she snapped, wishing she had her bokken with her to release the tension that her continuous outbursts since yesterday had not yet been able to fully rid her off. Sano froze, startled for a while, before rage swept over him like a tidal wave. Who had _dared_ to harm missy?!

"Where is he?!" he growled, standing up and clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. "Tell me where he went and I'll fucking look him up and beat the shit out of him and whatever pile of bones and torn flesh that is left I'll leave for you to finish off because I'm _just that gracious!_"

Most of her anger seemed to leave her then, when she remembered the power that had seeped through the red-head's skin and tainted his aura heavy with something she hadn't been able to recognize. Sanosuke, for all his strength and big brotherly protection would not be able to deal with the speed she had seen _him_ use. Besides, had she not already accepted there was something…_supernatural_…about the whole thing? What if Sano would not be able to stand his ground against this man?

"It's no use, Sano," she sighed. "He's already gone, hopefully for good. He left as soon as he sensed you coming; you probably scared him off."

The look he gave her suggested she cut the crap and get to the case. Biting her lip, she lowered her gaze. "I don't know which way he went, Sano. He just…he just disappeared. Literally. Into thin air, no kidding."

"Okay," he drawled, voice skeptic and she knew he hadn't believed her. Sitting down again, he spoke in an all too calm manner that made her look up in suspicion. "I need you to tell me what happened; when did he come, what did he do, what did he look like, did he tell you something and if so, had it something to do with that painting of yours?"

Slightly taken aback by the questioning, it took her a few moments for them to sink in. Frowning, she crossed her arms to keep her hands from fidgeting nervously in her lap. He didn't know, did he? No, Sanosuke would never believe something like that, right?

"What about the painting?"

He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I found out some stuff about it on the black market yesterday. Apparently it's some kind of _mythical_ _artifact_ from way back. Old magic and legends and all, you know? Would fetch quite the price on the market, and apparently it's sought for in many of those creepy sects and cults and stuff. I'm thinking that guy might have something to do with it, you see? Man, I was afraid this would happen when I found out, you're such a magnet for trouble missy."

Snorting, she tried to cover up her _illogical_ relief that he hadn't suggested what she'd thought (it was enough to deal with that she herself acknowledged the fact that the man might be her Dragon, if someone else did as well, it would become…_too real_).

"Well, _excuse me_ for attracting trouble instead of causing it!" she huffed, angered further by the roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it! Sorry!" he sighed, not sounding sorry at all. "So, did he say something about the painting? And, more importantly, did he hurt you?"

Chewing on her lip, Kaoru fell silent. What should she tell him? The man _had_ practically molested her upon sight, but the undeniable enjoyment and pleasure it had caused her still make her cheeks flush in shame. No way was she telling _Sano_ **that**!

The man had, however, mentioned the painting – had pretty much claimed to _be it_ – although she couldn't really tell him that either. But, she had never liked lying. In fact, she was horrible at it. Sano would see through any lie she attempted to throw his way. Deciding to try and ease him into the idea of a painting coming to life, Kaoru opted for omission.

"No, he didn't hurt me. But he did say that the painting was his," she began, resisting the urge to laugh at the irony of the statement. "So, yes, he mentioned the painting."

"Good, if he'd hurt you I'd make him wish he was never born. I'll do that anyway, but that's beside the point," he remarked, clenching his fists before relaxing slightly. "Anyway, he obviously wants the painting. Maybe he's part of one of those sects? Since it's gone though, I guess he shouldn't come back. What bothers me though, is the fact that he stuck around for such a long time. I need to know what the guy looked like. So, start talking."

Blushing, Kaoru cleared her throat and tried to think of a good way to describe what she could almost say was _in_describable. How could she portray the power hidden in his being, or the fire in his eyes? Mentally slapping some sense into herself, she sternly told herself the latter was _not_ necessary.

"Well," she began, uncomfortable yet again now that anger had left her. She guessed only the physical description would do for now. "He had red hair. Really, really red hair. It was long, below his hips, and pulled up in a ponytail. Um, he was very short, just a little taller than me, and his eyes were like…like gold. Oh! And he had this weird scar on his left cheek; it was shaped exactly like an X."

Blinking, Sano leaned back a bit where he sat. "Wow, they sure didn't pick a _discreet_ person to find that fucking painting, now did they?"

Kaoru nodded, a slight grin tugging at her lips as she saw the humor in it. He would be recognizable, and she didn't doubt Sano's tracking skills. She just hoped he wouldn't be as powerful as she feared him to be; maybe her fright had blown it out of proportion?

"Ah! Didn't know there was anything left of Tae-san's onigiris, I was sure Yahiko ate them all, that mutt!" Sanosuke's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Before she could explain he had already taken a bite and from the shocked look on his face she had her suspicions confirmed; those riceballs weren't normal. They were _too good._

"That's it, I'm making him get us more of these!" he exclaimed, and Kaoru groaned. As he happily stuffed himself, she decided it would be for the best if he remained blissfully ignorant of the real person behind the small onigiri miracle.

She had a feeling he would definitely underestimate an enemy who could cook better than the chef of his favorite restaurant.

oOo

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Yahiko came back by dinner, bringing some leftovers from Akabeko kudos to Tae, and was quickly filled in on the recent development in Kamiya Kaoru's life. Despite her protests that it wasn't necessary, both Sanosuke and Yahiko had agreed to make sure they never left her alone simultaneously from now on.

After dinner, Sano had gone to notify his_ friends_ that there was "a cockroach roaming the streets" as he put it, which left her with Yahiko. Skittish and paranoid now that she realized _he_ might be back (his promise of "never leaving her side" should've given her a clue earlier, but she blamed it on stress), Kaoru suggested a spar with her youngest student since he had missed out his training session. Besides, classes would begin tomorrow again and she needed to be in shape and with a clear mind after everything that's happened. The meditating would help too.

Though, as it turned out, beating Yahiko repeatedly on the head for his bratty comments proved to be even more therapeutic.

oOo

Going to sleep that night had been nothing short of a challenge. The shadows seemed to take a suspicious shape of a man she would rather forget, and disturbingly, the walls gave off the impression of actually closing in on her whenever her gaze lingered on the dark corners around the room for too long. Unsettled by the eerie atmosphere enhanced by the blue light of a moon during a perfectly starry night – for she had stayed up in order to stay in her boys' presences as long as possible – she had quickly buried herself in her soft sheets until only the top of her head and eyes peeked forth. Curled up as a ball, she had stayed completely still and kept her breathing as silent as possible in order to make out any kind of noise that might be out of place. It proceeded for an hour or two, before she admitted she was acting like a pathetic little girl.

Huffing, she kicked off her sheets and sat up – sending a burning glare around the room – before finally grabbing her bokken (conveniently placed beside her futon). She flexed her grip of the wooden sword until she was satisfied it was solid and stood with a clumsy motion that she blamed on fried nerves.

(Although she was quite aware of how much of a klutz she could be, she tried not to remind herself of this – self-esteem issues were something she couldn't afford when her position as a female kendo teacher housing two stray males demanded full belief in her abilities).

"I swear, if you're in here somewhere…" she mumbled, eyeing a particularly suspicious looking shadow with tensed annoyance and slight anticipation. Her grip tightened on her bokken as she neared it, but relaxed once she noticed there was nothing there but a few stubborn dust bunnies and spider's webs that her frantic cleaning that morning had done nothing to kill. She never was very skilled with work in the household.

"Missed me?" a voice whispered in her ear and she would've let out a high-pitched, embarrassing scream had not a warm hand been placed firmly against her mouth. By reflex, she hastily bit down on the soft flesh when she realized screaming wasn't an option. When no reaction came to her rather violent move, enough time had passed for her brain to start functioning past the shock and for her heart to start beating again.

Groaning, she lowered her bokken and fought the urge to simply face-palm.

It was _him _again_._

oOo

She no longer felt a need to deny the fact that there was something magical about her newest nuisance, her new thorn-in-the-side – her Dragon. Maybe magical was too beautiful of a word, but at the moment she could not think of anything more suitable for the situation.

(It might have something to do with how her vocabulary seemed to be reduced to a more Sanosuke-influenced one whenever she reached this level of agitation).

Glaring into a pair of ever-amused golden eyes, she hoped the message came across. Namely the _stop whatever the hell you're doing NOW._

"Such a temper, little one," he began, pausing to run a hand through her locks. His humor was clear in his smooth voice and she would've gritted her teeth – had she been able to move even an inch. "It is merely for your own good that I have rendered you motionless."

Whatever he saw in her eyes must've translated correctly, the _how is this good for me?_ glare she sent his way received with a low rumble of amusement she had come to recognize as a weird sort of purring laugh that occasionally slipped through his lips. She _knew_ there had been something off with his chuckles in the past, now she had it confirmed as it vibrated against her slender frame cradled against his almost tenderly. Leaning down, he breathed across her cheek and nosed the skin below her ear delicately, making her shiver despite the frozen state of her body. Goosebumps spread along her arms and she prayed he wouldn't notice – if only to avoid giving him more reasons to believe she enjoyed his attentions. As if the numerous times she had responded to his touch wasn't enough – but she tried to tell herself it was the magic. It wasn't normal to feel like you were physically pulled towards him, right?

"Kaoru," he mumbled, reminding her he was still _talking_ to her, not just making pleasant noises (she blushed at the thought, quickly dismissing the memory of his chuckles, growls and strange purrs). "If I had allowed you to continue squirming in my lap so deliciously, I would not have been held responsible for my actions."

She stared at him wide-eyed, a weak thought reminding her she shouldn't have been surprised, as her blush darkened. A warm tingle of energy caressed her jaw and she found she could move it again, although her arms and legs remained slack and unresponsive as bags of rice. Spluttering in indignation, she tried to find something remotely intelligent to scold him with but merely ended up uttering a few words. "Y-you, you! _You!_" Taking a deep breath, she ignored the tell-tale rumbling from his chest and glared. "If you'd just let me go this would not be necessary damnit!"

He was nuzzling her neck again, and she couldn't help but growl in frustration at the warmth he somehow spread inside, where his physical, abnormal heat should not be able to reach. She didn't even know the name of this man, didn't even really know exactly who he was despite her recent acceptance of his connection to her beautiful painting. _Ah, but beautiful, he was._ She would've shook her head at the thought, but had to settle with nibbling her lower lip. Somehow she knew his fierce eyes were observing her bad habit, and not inspecting the few freckles adoring her nose. She wasn't sure what she'd prefer, or if she should be preferring anything at all.

"Oh but I like holding you close, my sweet," he _purred,_ something she hadn't heard him do other than when he made that deep noise of amusement. It sounded strange – inhuman – but she couldn't bring herself to dislike it. It was _dripping_ with simple, warm contentment. He paused to kiss the corner of her mouth, drawing a strangled noise from her as she shyly looked away. She could still feel his smirk against her skin. "I have been denied many things during my lifetime, and as such, I have made it a habit of never denying myself anything should I have the chance," he spoke again, this time with his usual smooth voice, as if explaining his actions. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at the arrogance she could easily read behind his perfectly sculptured image but settled with a snort.

(She wasn't sure when she had realized there was so much more to this man, or, well, _dragon,_ but found herself wondering how she could've ever missed it instead of second-guessing her abrupt conclusion.)

"How am I going to get rid of you?" she sighed as she tried to stifle a yawn (it was tiring to swing between so many emotions and moods while struggling with the many thoughts shouting loudly to be heard in her head), only realizing she had spoke out loud when he delivered a sharp bite at her jaw in retribution that made her flinch ever so slightly. His reply was simple, and it made her close her eyes and will herself to sleep regardless of her position in his lap where she had ended up when she had tried, once again, to flee his presence earlier. Really, sleep would be so much better than dealing with the infuriating man invading her senses and twisting her reality into something she was afraid to explore.

"You can't get rid of me, Kaoru."

A feather-like kiss fell on her closed eyelids and she found herself drifting off into a warm, comfortable sleep devoid of any dreams (with the exception of red and gold, accompanied by the pleasant smell of ginger and fire).

"_You are mine." _

oOo

o-oOo-o

oOo

* * *

**A/N:** _AAAHH I AM SO NERVOUS. What do you think? Like? Hate? Personally I'm not that pleased with it, but I never am. I seriosuly think I over-did a few things in this. _

_Anyway, good news is, that if you still like the story, I have a few ideas to throw in the story. Like, background stories and explanations of our dear little Dragon!Kenshin. From the beginning I didn't have any, but after getting so many nice reviews, my brain started working things out and I think I'm pleased with what I have in mind so far._

_BUT, it depends on how you like the story now that I've decided to continue it. If too many liked it better as a oneshot, I'll stop. I have too many stories to update to have one story that few people like. So, yeah._

_Thanks for reading anyway! :D Love you all! -bows-_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_Soo...after a hellsih first term of my last year, I spent a Christmas break catching up with my social life. Working on and off on this chapter, I've finally deemed it...agreeable._

_I'm terribly sorry for the delay, but updating has never been my strong forte. I hope not too many have left the story and lost their hopes of it..._

_Anyway, THANK YOU so MUCH for all the positive response this story has, so far, provoked! I'm really really glad you like and appreciate it; it means a lot to me as a writer! _

_Well, that said...let's get on with it! I'm so nervous about this chapter that seriously, you have nooo idea..._

_**SPEAKING OF GRATITUDE.**_

_Several weeks ago, months really, I fell ill. I was pretty damn sick for well over 3 weeks, and was bored out of my scull/angsty/pissy and just overall miserable. And I really wanted to finish SWAK but had no drive._

_I was bestowed with an awesome motivator though, which probably contributed to this being posted faster than I thought it would (yes, it might've taken longer; it is possible)._

_the lovely** kokoronagomu** sent me a wonderful piece of art made by the equally awesome **LordRandallsLady**. The piece is of a dragon, and in its original form it is stunning, but as manipulated by **kokoronagomu **it looks almost exactly like how I personally imagined the painting of Kenshin in dragon-form would look like. _

_Here is the link to the original piece: http(:)(double slash)lordrandallslady(dot)deviantart(dot)com(slash)art(slash)Celestial - Dragon - 120825875_

_And here's to the manipulated piece: http(:)(double slash)lordrandallslady(dot)deviantart(dot)com(slash)art(slash)Red - Dragon - quot - Kenshin - quot - 137770182_

_So really, this chapter can't be anything other than **dedicated to kokoronagomu and LordRandallsLady.** Thank you! I really do hope you will enjoy this update!_

_(I apologise for any typos/grammar errors. I remind you of the fact English still isn't my first language! lol. Working on getting tot hat level though...)_

_

* * *

_

**oOo**

**o-oOo-o**

**S.W.A.K**

**o-oOo-o**

**oOo**

She was quite horrified to realize that something suspiciously like a routine had snuck up on her this last week, after finding her painting was actually a sealed, humanoid dragon with mental issues. At first she had determinedly tried to ignore the problem, vainly hoping it might go away, but it seemed that the only difference not acknowledging her situation _made_, was to slowly make her used to it –_ it_ being the presence of a rather persistent, supernatural, fantasy creature of folklore.

She supposed it really began the night when she had fallen asleep in his arms, after he had gone conveniently missing at Sano's return.

oOo

She woke up that morning, to soft caresses and warmth only another body could provide. It should've made her snap awake and bolt for freedom instantly, but instead sleep left her slowly; leaving her mind fuzzy and her muscles lax. She figured she could deal with him as soon as she'd gathered enough energy to do just that, and so another second or two wouldn't really do any harm; just prepare her better for the confrontation.

But by the time she had properly woken, he was nowhere to be seen.

Before she could remember that she was supposed to be pleased with his absence, she had felt momentarily disappointed (she told herself that surely, it was because he'd left before she'd gotten a chance to properly yell at him) and had wondered, for a moment, if he hadn't promised her to always stay by her side, and if he had, why wasn't he?

(She blamed _that_ lapse of mental health on the rather unusual situation she had found herself in, and reasoned she was probably being influenced in one way or another by her dragon. She knew close to nothing of magic, after all, so it might as well be the cause to the sudden unsettling thoughts and feelings fluttering through her mind and heart.)

oOo

The day which had started out so blissfully without _his_ presence was starting to turn out quite eerie. She was slowly coming to suspect he hadn't left her side at all. Her sight, maybe, but he could do magic, right? Would he be able to make himself invisible then? The thought of what he could do scared her a bit, thus the immediate suspicion of his meddling whenever her heart skipped a beat.

But it took her a while more to accept that the warm brushes against her exposed skin _– neck, wrists, ankles, face –_ were too substantial to be the result of a breeze, and _somehow, _she knew he was there.

In a fit of agitation, her strikes became just that much more forceful; her bokken singing as it cut through the air. Imagining him as a target only served her well the first couple of strikes, before she'd managed to picture him moving with a blade; golden eyes narrow in ruthless concentration and blood-red hair lashing out like a whip as he moved with that inhuman speed –

_---and as he neared his features blurred, becoming mere colors. His hair blood, eyes gold, hakama bones and gi a stormy night of blue. Stark in the blackness, but gone, in the wink of an eye. Where is he? Breath heavy, it must be cold. Moist clouds emit; panting. The grip of the sword is weak, yet it had never been clutched so hard in these hands. Shaking, the world spins. Left, right, behind; where?!_

_The smells; smoke, blood, death---_

_---Magic! _

_Demon; he came from the front, head on. Eye to eye._

_Honor, he allowed his opponent to face death before it struck. But the terror---_

---And in that moment she felt the hot brush of lips against her temple as she realized she had dropped her bokken to the ground where she knelt, hugging herself and crying in such fright she had not known since her father's death.

oOo

Really, it sounded crazy, even as she had first considered it, but as the days had passed, she sensed something she could only identify as _him_ in the gusts of winds, warmth of the sun or caress of the rain. That day, when her imagination her fled to such a vivid place (why had it felt so real? It had taken several cups of tea before she could feel her fingers properly!) she could only assume he was hiding – from Sano and Yahiko, from her students and the townspeople (maybe even herself?) – as she'd surrounded herself with them in fear of being alone with his presence (it haunted her still, like no other horror story ever told to her as a child). But she'd wanted answers, to more than just his suddenly (at least visually) evasive behavior. He'd even invaded her dreams!

(And surely mind, too, after that frightful experience. Maybe he didn't like how she'd imagined beating him into submission, and tried to get back at her? No, that wasn't it, was it? Too many questions!)

Granted, in the mornings, when the last tendrils of sleep and his unwavering presence slipped away from her grasp the only things she could remember were sensations. Feelings.

She'd tried to link scenarios to what she could recall; the frustration, the momentarily fright upon his first invasion of her dreams (barren that time in the dojo). The wariness and the mounting curiosity. He knew so much of her, but during the night, she suspected he was sharing _something _(and it wasn't blood and death and fright either)_._ At least, it was enough to make her react, however subconscious it might be. How else could she wake up with a frown, as if she'd just been bantering with someone incredibly infuriating? Or smile, shyly, as if a blunt compliment had made her blush.

Again she reminded herself of the theory of possible manipulation. He seemed so powerful, at least by her own measures, so why shouldn't he be able to bend a human's fickle spirit to his will?

It sickened her, but was a more comforting thought than admitting what her pounding heart meant, or why her cheeks coloured, despite the obvious danger he presented. It really couldn't be her, not on her own free will. No, it was all him.

That, or she was going out of her mind. With the way he seemed to push his way into it, she entertained the notion of her moving out of her own mind, only to have him move in. Somehow, that brought more amusement from her tormentor than she was willing to provide. Although, the branch snapping in the sudden violent gust of wind to land conveniently on Yahiko's head as he badmouthed her cooking made her laugh whether she liked it or not.

However, she wanted answers! Answers to questions she'd had time to form as the days went by, but with which she'd had some trouble posing.

_Dammit._

oOo

The first time she tried to question him, it went with little success. When she had gone to bed the very same day he'd made his presence known, she had stayed awake; determined to question him (and not because she'd still been scared by the vivid…_something_ she'd seen in the dojo) the moment he showed up in the form of something more solid than air, heat or whatever element suited his intentions. Why she had been so sure he would come was something she didn't bother to wonder about anymore – as with so many other things where he was concerned – but as she'd laid there the day had slowly caught up with her.

Tense, stressed and jumpy as she'd been, it had made her more tired than she had anticipated so when he finally did show himself, she was already half-asleep. The gentle way he'd eased her onto his lap and proceeded to caress her back and arms had made staying awake a rather impossible, and unwanted, notion (she didn't dwell on the fact that it had melted the icy chill of terror that had settled in her stomach as well).

She'd figured she could question him later and had promptly fallen asleep.

oOo

Almost a week later, Kaoru was fighting hard not to swing her bokken around in an attempt to somehow cut through the space he occupied and hope to harm him with whatever she could.

Somehow, he had successfully avoided any confrontation she could've planned by only making himself physically present when she was on the verge of sleep (it didn't matter how long she tried to stay awake, or how well she thought she was acting when she pretended to fall asleep; he made no exceptions). So when she awoke, it was to the feel of fingers combing through her hair, tracing her jaw or nose and hands caressing her curves in a sensually indecent way that left her biting back a moan. But before she could find it in herself to protest, he would leave with a soft kiss on the top of her head and remain hidden the rest of the day. It was unsettling and comforting at the same time, leaving her more than a little confused. It was routine and she had realized (even as the fright of him rushing towards her with a sharpened blade faded completely), on some level even accepted, that he was keeping his promise and staying by her side.

Now, however, she had had enough. Ever since she had told Sano about him – her Dragon – both Yahiko and that rooster-head had never left her alone both at the same time. Sano was gone the most, supposedly looking into whatever cults or religious fanatics that could be interested in her painting and who knew she'd had it in her possession. She suspected he was collecting information – half of the time. The rest, she assumed he spent gambling, drinking or catching up with old friends he hadn't really been in contact with since he settled down in her dojo as an ex-fighter for hire.

Yahiko, the little brat, did his share of snooping as well. When she had forbidden him, quite violently, to have anything to do with anyone Sano might go to he'd started picking up gossip at the Akabeko. She knew nothing he heard would be of much help, but encouraged him if only to keep him out of trouble. It did, sadly, result in a lot more night-shifts on his part and she had tried to talk him out of it – with bokken and all – but relented when he'd shown no sign on giving in. She reasoned it was his pride coming to play; finally getting the chance to protect someone rather than to be protected.

What more, the two had proved to be much more capable of cooperating than she'd given them credit for. There was not a moment she was alone – her dragon excluded – in the dojo or in town. Honestly, she was grateful; not only for their concerns, but for the support they unknowingly provided whenever a breeze curled too well around her neck or when raindrops snuck underneath even her thickest clothing (she was becoming increasingly paranoid, that was for sure). It had freaked her out so much the first few days she was glad she'd had someone around who wasn't trying to magically grope her and know that was all _he_ could do for the moment.

But now she'd had time to do some thinking, and if he didn't come out from his hiding she would not be held responsible for her actions.

oOo

"Come out, you coward," she growled, letting her glare flicker around the room in search for something to glare _at. _Only shadows and walls, damn him! "You _coward!_ Do you realize how hard it was to convince them I needed a few hours alone after a week in constant male-only company?! Show yourself, Dragon!"

What felt suspiciously like a breathy chuckle came with the gust of wind snuck through the sliding door of her bedroom and ruffled her hair. About to snap another insult at the evasive dragon, she only had time to blink before he was sitting right before her, reaching out to grab the leg of her hakama and pull down hard enough for her to fall into an awkward seated position on the floor.

"You haven't escaped your male company yet, little one," he purred, golden eyes hooded as he observed her shocked expression; blue eyes wide and mouth hanging open. She hadn't been prepared, had almost forgotten how dangerously attractive he was, and his abrupt appearance slowed time as it seemed to her do with her thoughts.

Shaking her head, she tried to regain her previous agitation and shut her mouth with a snap before narrowing her eyes into a reinforced glare. "Bastard," she snapped, repositioning herself into a more comfortable sitting arrangement, her movements stiff from embarrassment. She was unable to resist looking away no matter how brave she wanted to appear, when he flashed her a smirk she had almost forgotten.

"I believe you have some questions for me, my sweet, yes?" he continued with a silky purr, as if she hadn't spoken. A bit disappointed that she hadn't had the chance to steer the conversation (she really wanted to scream and demand and _intimidate_ but it would seem she'd need to take a different approach).

"Damn straight!" she hissed, leaning forward to poke his chest hard with her finger, repeatedly. "Who are you? Or rather, _who the hell do you __**think **__you are?!_ Where did you _come_ from? _Why are you following me?_ How do you become _invisible?_ Is it magic? What more can you do that I'm not aware of? And _why the hell are you sleeping with me?!_"

Silence followed, and taking a deep breath as she paused in her questioning, it only took his amused chuckle and suggestively raised brow to realize what her last question had implied. Hitting him hard on his chest, hoping it was at least uncomfortable, she huffed in embarrassment. "Not like that you pervert! And answer my questions dammit!"

"I apologize," he said, taking a hold of her fist and grinning at her red face and puffed out cheeks. Her lips were drawn into a most delicious pout and he took a moment to simply observe before continuing. "I see you have gathered quite a few questions during the time I've given you to find them. I will answer them, little one, to the best of my ability."

"The best of your ability?!" she repeated, suspiciously. She wanted straight answers; she certainly deserved it! He seemed to understand her thoughts (surely her tone of voice had clued him in; she'd used her best _what-the-hell-are-you-saying_ voice that made Sano go as pale as newly cleaned sheets) as he replied with a lopsided grin and twinkling, golden eyes. "You see, Kaoru, my sweet; I can only reply to what you ask. It means that you will have to be specific, since I am unable to elaborate without your inquiring. So it would be wise to think carefully about your question, wouldn't you say?"

"Alright," she said, already knowing what her first question would be. "Why must your answer be limited to my question?"

As he chuckled, she became aware of her hand still caught in his as his thumb made gentle strokes on her skin. Blushing, she tugged her hand in an attempt to get away, but gave it up when his grip only seemed to tighten.

"Hm, you catch on quick, my sweet," he noted in a voice that could only be used to deliver a compliment, so she gave up on trying to detect any sarcasm as he seemed to quiet down in order to think. Titling his head, he continued. "Because I am still partly sealed, and the remaining seal's magic prevents me from giving you any information about myself that you do not request."

"But I thought you were freed when you escaped the painting? And _why_ is the magic preventing you from giving me 'information about yourself without me inquiring'?" she countered only moments after he had given his first reply, growing more excited as it seemed he would be truthful and she would _finally_ get the answers she needed.

"You have freed me from the prison of the painting, but the seal placed on me is still, in some ways, intact. In order for it to be completely broken, you, the one who broke the first barrier, must find it in yourself to accept me. You cannot do that without knowledge of who I am; what I am. The seal merely prevents me from…cheating, if you will," he stated, calmly. She frowned at this new piece of information, filing it away for later consideration.

"Before you were sealed," she began, feeling him tense slightly through his grip of her hand, "where did you…live?"

"Ah," he sighed, lowering her hand to rest in his lap and moving his free hand to cover it as well. "I lived in the realm of spirits."

He grinned at her displeased frown, but she quickly continued; determined to squeeze as much information from him before anything could interrupt. "So there's another realm? Another world? What more lives there? How long has it existed?"

"The realm of spirits holds almost any fictional creature you have encountered in scrolls, paintings, tales and legends," he answered after a few moments of silence, the steely, cold quality of his golden eyes softening with a slight hint of what she thought could be called nostalgia. She didn't interrupt, holding her breath for a moment, before realizing what she was doing and letting out an annoyed huff. He didn't seem to notice.

"The realm itself has only existed for a few thousand years, because before we faded into history and legends, it wasn't necessary. Most the creatures which you name mythical, which you claim does not exist, used to live alongside humans from the beginning of time. But humans are cruel creatures; countless of wars, endless hatred and envy was endured before finally, there was a way to end it all. The Revolution. The realm of spirits was created and we disappeared from this battered, sullied realm to never return to human's side again."

His tale was fascinating, if a bit…unsettling. He told it with a smooth, quiet voice that had made her catch herself from leaning in closer, and she'd known, somehow, that it was all _true._ She could tell there was a lot missing though, but before she sought to complete this tale, she needed to confirm her suspicions. "You said you couldn't elaborate, that I had to ask the right question to get the specific answer, but wasn't what you just told me elaborating?"

"You're not only beautiful, my little Kaoru, but bright as well," he praised, reaching up to catch her chin between his fingers and caress her jaw with his thumb. "It is true that I cannot give up certain information unless you ask the correct question, but that only concerns information about me specifically."

"Oh," she breathed as she understood, blushing at his intimate hold. Before she could free herself he let his hand drop, and she swallowed nervously before moving on. "What happened during the Revolution you spoke of? Did you have a part in it?"

"The Revolution was the final war against humankind and was led by the now leading clan of the realm of spirits. It lasted for a century; it was dark, bloody years that cost more lives than you can ever imagine. Cruelty was at its peak; it was violent and left wounds and scars that, even now, have not completely healed. I was part of the clan that led our side to victory."

She noted he seemed reluctant to speak more of it, but the tilt of his lips and gleam in his eyes told her he knew she wouldn't stop there. Taking a deep breath, silently deciding to freak out about all this at a later date, she pushed on.

"What did you do to bring about victory? What happened to you after the Revolution? How did you get yourself sealed?"

Reaching out for her, she was placed sideways in his lap before she could react. When she realized her position, she immediately startled to struggle against his grip; resulting in a very uncomfortable experience. He'd turned her limbs into heavy, unresponsive lumps of flesh again; seemingly numbing everything but her face just as he'd done a week ago.

"Bastard! Release me!" she hissed, letting loose a string of curses that would've made Sano proud as he tucked her head underneath his chin and sighed. "Kaoru," he began, voice steely and managing to keep her silent long enough to continue. "I wish you had waited to inquire about that part of my past, the darkest yet, but I am…_obliged…_to reply. In return, however, I will keep you from even considering escaping my hold, especially after that….unfortunate…incident in the dojo."

She swallowed nervously, not knowing what to say (he'd just acknowledged something she'd rather forget, but even as she felt the desire to do so she knew it was foolish), but was spared any awkward silence as he continued.

"In order for victory to be obtained, I had joined fellow kinsmen to lead our forces from the shadows. In your kind's terms, I would be most correctly named an assassin. I was good at what I did, and killed countless mages on the humans' side. It eventually led to our victory, since humans were at a vast disadvantage without mages and their magic for their aid. As for what happened to me afterwards…" he trailed off, taking a deep breath and scenting the slight fear sullying her scent. She had asked; he had to continue. The magic burned along his veins, urging him on even as he searched for ways of evasion. "After the revolution I was already sealed. It was at the very end of the Revolution that a mage sneaked up on me and imprisoned me in a piece of paper."

At his smug grin, despite how small, she knew there was more to it. She hesitated for a moment, before deciding she could let it be for now. His incredible tales demanded details, but there was still so much left to ask. Vainly trying to justify her choice of letting him get away for now, she hastily moved on in hopes of escaping her conscience. (Assassin? Was that what she'd witnessed?)

Racking her brain for a question not involving that part of his past (she wasn't sure she was ready to even hear it now, she realized with a frown), it slid past her lips before she could consider it properly.

"What's your name?"

He stilled, and she suddenly became aware of how much motion he usually seems to employ; deep, slow breathing, caresses and subtle shifting. Trying to ignore that particular observation, she hurriedly tried to defend herself – she felt so stupid for not having asked him the first thing she did. It was what you normally do, right? Then again, this was anything but normal.

"I mean, I can't keep calling you, 'you' or-or- 'dragon' and…and stuff, right?" she stuttered, staring stubbornly at his collarbone even as she felt his eyes roaming her face. "So, what's your name?"

Silence, then she felt him relax as another of those warm chuckles made her flush. "You already know one of my names, Kaoru," he said, voice low and his fingers back to caressing the back of her hands.

"Oh…," was all she could say, busy trying to remember what other than _Dragon_ she'd ever used to address him. Then she recalled; the _story_. "Battousai?"

"Mm, correct. Although, I suppose it is more of a title than a name. But I have been called that for centuries; one grows quite attached to it," he explained, taking a hold of her chin as he spoke and titling her face upwards. She frowned, but met his eyes. The glint of amusement there, coupled with _that_ smile, made her stomach do a weird flip. Strange, she hadn't been sick in quite a while. Maybe it was time again for a cold.

She barely noticed as he leaned down to whisper, as if sharing a secret, but she quickly stiffened as she felt his inhumanly warm breath skim across her skin. "I think I can grow used to being 'your Dragon' as well, my sweet. In fact, I think it is preferable."

_He nipped her ear. _

She squeaked, hitting him hard on his shoulder in retribution, but she hardly had time to process the fact that the feeling was back in her previously numb limbs before he was gone. Just like that. _Again,_ dammit!

Then she heard him.

"Kaoru! We're back! You okay?"

She wasn't sure if she should thank Sano for his timing, or take out her frustrations on his thick scull.

oOo

_It couldn't really be described as "nothingness", for there was an echo of __**something **__that seemed to whisper of __**places **__and __**thoughts **__and __**stories **__in this space. It was grey, with a sort of milky mist filling the emptiness with its thick substance. It was the only, visible, tangible notion that didn't give off a __**not really there**__, as if it was nothing more than an image in your head. Even so, the mist was neither cold, nor hot. Not even wet, as __**mist **__should be. It just didn't __**feel **__as anything at all. _

_It was like it was divided into different illusions._

_Things you see, things you hear, things you __**think.**_

_It was the things __**missing**__ that made it __**so wrong.**_

_No taste, no smell, no __**feel.**_

_You didn't breathe here, you didn't __**live**__ here. That's what you'd realize, hovering in the mist trying to find an up, a down, a side; an __**angle, **__a __**direction.**__ No order, but no chaos. It was too empty for it to be incomprehensible, just as it was too empty to be just as intimidating. A strange space – for it couldn't qualify as a place, however comforting the idea of a __**location**__ would be – with so many contradictions, for such little…content? _

_The lulling sound of stories, not voices – of thoughts, not conversations – bid you to move. Which way? There is no way. Walk? There is no ground!_

_But you cannot get lost, for this space, this vast __**nothingness that is something,**__ leads you __**everywhere.**_

_And, if you know __**where**__ you want to go, the question of __**how **__to get there is irrelevant._

_**You're already there.**_

oOo

He watched her as she kicked up a racket; running to meet her…_friends._ For a few moments, he observed her provoke them with her own frustration and flaring temper, amused by the fighting that ensued. She was a fascinating creature, as he'd come to realize long before his release. Caught in that _space _in between, her soft voice had penetrated any and all shields of magic surrounding him. _Dragon,_ she'd called him. It had echoed around him, given him a _direction_ as she'd continued to speak.

Her blue eyes had been the first to fill his sight in decades. A sharp, almost painfully beautiful contrast to the indefinable grey that had been his prison. Next came her smile, first more of a _feeling_ rather than tangible image. But oh, her lips were like the petals of roses. He couldn't have denied the want, _the need_, as he'd been drawn to her, any more than he could've unlocked the shackles wound around his beastly form in thick tendrils of dark magic.

Focusing on her, he'd been able to make out her surroundings, even if it had been more like background noise. And as her stories grew from whispers to the pleasant, strong string of words he was now privy to hearing inches from his face, while smell and touch and _feeling_ rushed over him, he had _known._

And he was never letting her go.

oOo

* * *

**A/N: **_Like we didn't already know that, Mr Dragon you! XD Anyway, a lot of stuff happened in this chapter. It's shorter than the others, sadly, but I wasn't able to squeeze more into it without it feeling forced. I hope you don't mind..._

_Anyway, reason why I'm so bloody nervous about this update? Because I'm really not all that pleased with how it came out. The idea with the seal seems so silly when written down XD LOL. _

_Oh well, it's just to crash or burn now isn't it? Please review! :)_


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